The senior scored 16 of his 24 points in the third quarter as Huss pulled away from South Point on Tuesday. Hunter came one point shy of a season high. He averages 14.1 points and leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per game.

Kyla Walker, G, Highland Tech

The sophomore turned in Highland Tech’s best scoring performance of the season with 26 points in Tuesday’s loss to North Lincoln. Walker made six 3-pointers.

TUESDAY'S BEST

Boys: Jaelan Kennedy scored 26 as Hunter Huss beat South Point … Michael Meeks’ 26 points led Bessemer City in a loss to Lincolnton … Highland Tech’s Sebastian Nieminen scored 22 in a win against North Lincoln … Tristan Rodriguez scored a career-high 21 points in Ashbrook’s win over North Gaston … East Lincoln’s Addison Parrish had 20 points in a win against West Lincoln … South Point’s Deonte Gaston scored 19 points in a loss to Hunter Huss … DeSean Murray had 19 points and 13 rebounds as East Gaston lost to Olympic.

Girls: Lauren Smithscored a career-high 26 points to help Forestview beat Crest for a first-place tie in the Big South 3A Conference … Gaston Day’s Evonna McGill scored 22 points in a win against Hickory Christian … Forestview’s Bre Armstrong scored 21 in the win against Crest … Treasure Avery’s 19 points led Lincolnton to a win over Bessemer City … East Gaston’s Carly Kluttz had 17 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to Olympic.

LINKS

Area stat leaders

Conference standings

Forestview's Bre Armstrong is queen of the boards

FRIDAY'S KEY GAMES

Boys: Lake Norman Charter (13-4, 8-1) at East Lincoln (14-4, 7-2)— Lake Norman Charter can avenge its only league loss while East Lincoln can pull into a first-place tie in the area’s most significant game of the night. East Lincoln claimed the first meeting 57-54.

Girls: South Point (14-3, 5-3) at Ashbrook (14-4, 5-3) — These teams are tied for third in the Big South 3A Conference, which receives four playoff berths. A win Friday for one of them could make a big difference in a first-round playoff matchup. Ashbrook won 47-45 in the first meeting.

Boys: Highland Tech (7-10, 6-3) at Bessemer City (13-5, 5-4) — The Southern Piedmont Conference’s No. 2 Class 1A playoff seed is coming down to these two rivals. Bessemer City won the first matchup 56-48.

Girls: Lincolnton (13-4, 8-1) at North Lincoln (13-6, 7-2) — Lincolnton is trying to stay in a first-place tie with Lake Norman Charter in the Southern Piedmont Conference while North Lincoln is attempting to climb back up. Either way, the league’s top 2A playoff seed should go to one of these two teams. Lincolnton won the first meeting 49-31.

Page 2 of 2 -

FRIDAY’S FULL SCHEDULE

Big South 3A

South Point at Ashbrook

North Gastonat Forestview

Kings Mountain at Hunter Huss

Southern Piedmont 1A/2A

Highland Tech at Bessemer City

Cherryville at West Lincoln

Lake Norman Charter at East Lincoln

Lincolnton at North Lincoln

MEGA 7 3A/4A

East Gaston at Harding

Berry Academy at West Mecklenburg

Olympic at Garinger

Private/charter schools

Gaston Christian at Concord First Assembly

Piedmont Community Charter at Gaston Day

Lincoln Charter at Thomas Jefferson

NEWS AND NOTES

*The Lincoln Charter boys clinched the Piedmont Charter Athletic Conference title for the first time in school history with Wednesday’s 70-41 defeat of Queens Grant. This is the final season of the PCAC as all its members will move into traditional conferences next academic year.

*Gaston Day holds homecoming on Friday as it hosts Piedmont Community Charter.

BESSEMER CITY CEREMONY

Bessemer City will recognize its 1972 and 1991 state runner-up teams during Friday's home matchup against Highland Tech. The reunion program will begin as soon as the girls game ends. Participants need to be at the gym by 7 p.m.